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Unit 01
YDS Exam Guide: Format & Strategy
format, timing & general tactics
What Is YDS?
YDS (Yabancı Dil Bilgisi Seviye Tespit Sınavı) is the foreign-language exam held by ÖSYM. Its score is used for academic positions, master's and PhD applications, and the language allowance for public-sector employees. The computer-based version, e-YDS, has the same question format.
The exam has 80 multiple-choice questions with five options each, and you have 180 minutes. Every correct answer is worth 1.25 points, and wrong answers do not cancel out correct ones. The exam measures reading, vocabulary and grammar — there is no speaking or writing section.
Question Types and Order
The order and the number of questions have been very stable in recent exams, although ÖSYM may make small changes. Always check the official guide before your exam.
| Question no. | Question type | Number | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | Vocabulary & phrasal verbs | 6 | word meaning and collocation |
| 7–16 | Grammar (tenses, prepositions, linkers) | 10 | structure and logical connection |
| 17–26 | Cloze test (2 passages) | 10 | vocabulary and grammar in context |
| 27–36 | Sentence completion | 10 | logic, linkers and tense agreement |
| 37–42 | Translation (EN→TR and TR→EN) | 6 | accurate understanding of meaning |
| 43–62 | Reading comprehension (5 passages) | 20 | main idea, detail, inference |
| 63–67 | Dialogue completion | 5 | coherence in conversation |
| 68–71 | Closest in meaning (restatement) | 4 | paraphrasing |
| 72–75 | Paragraph completion | 4 | paragraph flow |
| 76–80 | Irrelevant sentence | 5 | paragraph unity |
A Sample Time Plan
| Section | Question no. | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary + grammar | 1–16 | 15 minutes |
| Cloze test | 17–26 | 15 minutes |
| Sentence completion | 27–36 | 20 minutes |
| Translation | 37–42 | 15 minutes |
| Reading comprehension | 43–62 | 60 minutes |
| Dialogue + restatement | 63–71 | 20 minutes |
| Paragraph completion + irrelevant sentence | 72–80 | 25 minutes |
| Checking and transferring answers | — | 10 minutes |
Golden Rules
- Never leave a question blank. Wrong answers do not cost you points, so always mark an answer — even if you have to guess.
- Don't get stuck. If a question takes more than two minutes, eliminate what you can, mark your best guess and come back later.
- Eliminate first, then choose. In most questions, two or three options can be removed quickly for grammar or meaning reasons.
- Linkers and time expressions are your best clues. Words like although, therefore, by the time, since often decide the answer.
- Vocabulary is the backbone of YDS. Almost every section — reading, translation, cloze — depends on knowing academic words.
- Practise with full, timed tests. 180 minutes is long; building concentration is part of the preparation.